Just 2 More Days, Getting a Strange Lonely Feeling on the Last Round! – ETAP-7 REPORT

The final stage of the rally. If you can just make it through today you can find your way to the grand goal! It is a full day of passing through the Gobi and delicate-looking grassy hills. Today #101 MATSUNO/Tashiro reached the goal taking 8TH place and 10TH place overall placing them at the top in the Japanese group. Anyway this year things seem to be going smooth. Tomorrow will be the group start so everyone is devoting themselves to an early afternoon bivouac and vehicle maintenance. The drastic drop in the number of rally participants at the bivouac camp along with the lonely feeling at nearing the end of the rally combine to make things a little too quiet.

■ ETAP-7　17 AUG. 2019　 SAYHAN OVOO⇒SAYHAN OVOO
■ L：18.23km SS-1：271.35km L：25.47km SS-2：253.60km L：18.73km TOTAL：587.38km

「Rally moves to the Final Stage」 The rally will last another 2 days. Though this is a tough rally, realizing there are only a few days left makes one feel somehow sad. This camp bivouac at Sayhan Ovoo in particular gives you a strange, empty kind of feeling. The religious persecution from the former communist era of oppression here likely led to the tragedy at this place that was more than minor. Gazing at these ruins not even 100 years old and yet that look like something from ancient times evokes a strange feeling. The meaning seems to sink in as you drive further along in this rally now soon coming to a close. The SS-1 route first takes you to pass over a huge dry lake and then over gently rolling hills, navigation seems to be tougher than usual. Even still, you pass the town and drive on a piste as smooth as a highway. You reach the goal in a lush green area. After moving to a paved road, you refuel and then proceed on to SS-2. You start off on a grassy prairie and drive along a piste with lots of sand. You cross a small creek, pass a number of mountains and head southward. The latter half of the route is a high-speed piste. Tonight will be your last bivouac camp night.

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